What a prenup can do for you

Texas couples who are planning to get married should understand how prenuptial agreements can help them.

A prenuptial agreement may not be everyone's idea of a romantic precursor to a marriage but it is something that more and more couples today are creating. Engaged persons in San Antonio are learning how prenuptial agreements have changed in the past several decades, offering protections that extend far beyond those related to assets.

A look at traditional prenups

At one time, prenuptial agreements were believed to be useful only to people who were very wealthy. They could guard against serious asset loss in the event of a later divorce. They were used in cases where both spouses entered a marriage with significant assets or only one person had assets of large value.

A look at modern prenups

Certainly asset protection is still a function of today's prenuptial agreements. However, the reason for creating a marital contract does not end there. USA Today notes that people who have children from prior marriages or relationships can find prenups a helpful way to keep some belongings and assets separate when blending families. They can, in a way, be aides to other estate planning activities.

Another very popular element in prenuptial agreements is due to the rise in popularity and importance in our society of social media. This very public forum is for many an enjoyable way of staying in touch with people and sharing family news. It can, however, be an effective forum for painting a negative view of someone that gets filtered out very quickly.

Disgruntled spouses embroiled in a difficult divorce may not always censor themselves properly and their partners can be the victims of posts that are not exactly flattering to them. In some situations, this can even negatively impact a person's business depending upon the nature of the post and the business.

Fox News notes that social media clauses can be included in prenuptial agreements to stipulate what is able to be posted on social sites and what is not. This can be in effect even during a marriage as well as after. ABC News reported that some fines for just one post can run up to $50,000.

What couples should do

Texas couples looking forward to their marriages should know that a prenuptial agreement must be properly created in order to be valid. Today notes that a prenup can be difficult to break if it falls within the legal bounds and is reasonable.

Talking to an attorney about a prenuptial agreement and learning what is involved in appropriately creating one is always recommended.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.